The 2013 FITASC Africa Championship was the definitive clay target shooting event on the African continent, held from 23 February to 3 March 2013. Hosted at the historic Valley Gun Club in the Western Cape of South Africa, this massive shooting festival brought together elite international marksmen for a mega-event containing 5 competitions across 9 days, featuring a total of 800 targets.

Event Highlights & Visual Analysis

Based on the official championship literature and posters, the tournament identity represents a pinnacle of continental prestige paired with high-end corporate partnerships:

Iconic Visual Backdrops: The primary event poster prominently features the stark silhouette of Cape Town’s famous Table Mountain set against the vibrant colors of the South African national flag.
Sanctioning Architecture: The visual graphics proudly display the official global seal of FITASC (Fédération Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse), alongside the domestic insignias of CTSASA (The Clay Target Shooting Association of South Africa), Compak South Africa, and the host Valley Gun Club Western Cape.
Championship Scope: This grand tournament combined multiple premier title tracks into one unified window: the Africa Championships, the SA Champs, the Sporting Grand Prix, and the high-stakes finals of the Beretta Fitasc Africa Cups for both standard Sporting and Compak Sporting formats.
Premium Technical Support: The promotional materials feature prominent backing from Promatic, the world-leading automated clay target launcher specialist, ensuring cutting-edge target presentations across the layouts.

1. Full Event Program & Schedule (800 Targets Total)

The extensive 9-day shooting calendar distributed targets across five sequential competitive formats:

23 Feb (Saturday): SA Fitasc Champs and Grand Prix (Day One) | 200 Targets (Combined over 23-24 Feb)
24 Feb (Sunday): SA Fitasc Champs and Grand Prix (Day Two)
25 Feb (Monday): SA Champs 5 Stand | 100 Targets
26 Feb (Tuesday): SA Champs English Sporting | 100 Targets
27 Feb (Wednesday): Official Practice Day
28 Feb (Thursday): Africa Champs Sporting (Day One) | 200 Targets (Combined over 28 Feb-1 Mar)
1 Mar (Friday): Africa Champs Sporting (Day Two)
2 Mar (Saturday): Africa Champs Compak Sporting (Day One) | 200 Targets (Combined over 2-3 Mar / 100 targets per day)
3 Mar (Sunday): Africa Champs Compak Sporting (Day Two)

2. Venue Profile & Geographic Setting

Host Club: The Valley Gun Club of South Africa Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Terrain & Facility: Nestled beneath the Simonsberg Mountain in the lush vineyards of the Paarl Valley, Valley Gun Club stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious clay target facilities in South Africa. The complex spans 40 hectares of Fynbos-rich natural vegetation, offering incredible ambient light vectors and challenging natural backgrounds for high-performance target tracking.

3. Travel, Accommodation & Surrounding Logistics

The host facility provides efficient transit distances to several world-renowned Western Cape locations:

Paarl: Located just 15 minutes from the shooting grounds.
Stellenbosch: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Franschhoek: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Durbanville: Located 30 minutes from the facility.
Cape Town Waterfront: Located 40 minutes from the club gates.

Official Travel Agency Coordinator:

Agency: That's Africa Travel & Incentives
Contact Person: Nicole Wagner
Telephone: (+27) 21 4152000
Fax Line: (+27) 21 4210229
Mobile Support: (+27) 72 1182285
Skype Handle: nixcape
Direct Email: nicole@thatsafrica.com

4. Organizing Committee Contact Information

For event registries, ammunition pre-orders, and weapon customs documentation, the following administrative channels were utilized:

Primary Facility Landline: (+27) 21 9792520
Official Administrative Email: valleygunclub@paarlonline.co.za

Shooting Ground

Valley Gun Club

Paarl, South Africa

Valley Gun Club (historically known as Paarl Gun Club) is indisputably the premier clay target shooting facility in Africa, located in the picturesque Simonsberg Mountains within the Paarl Valley, Western Cape. Established in 1956, this expansive 40-hectare estate caters to everyone, from elite global athletes and passionate amateurs to families and corporate teams. Its absolute standout feature is the unique mountainous terrain and lush vineyard landscape, which creates highly challenging wind and optical conditions that perfectly simulate the unpredictability of wild hunting.

The club boasts a rich competitive pedigree, serving as a prestigious venue for major international events, including the 2010 DTL Trap World Championships and FITASC Africa Cups. On a local level, it hosts monthly "Club 100" competitions across all standard disciplines, alongside provincial and national trials. Thanks to its world-class infrastructure and challenging environmental factors, it has become a renowned proving ground where champions are forged and world-class scores are achieved.

To accommodate both high-volume international tournaments and daily recreational shooting without compromising strict safety zones, the 40-hectare grounds are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The core sporting infrastructure includes:

10 ATA & DTL Trap ranges.
4 Compak Sporting and 4 traditional Sporting ranges.
2 Skeet ranges.
1 Universal Trench, 1 Olympic Trap, and an exclusive ZZ Range for advanced technical shooting.
An on-site Gun Shop and Armoury for convenient ammunition sales and secure firearm storage.

Beyond pure competition, Valley Gun Club excels in its training and development programs. The club offers comprehensive coaching tailored to all skill levels, ensuring a safe introduction for complete beginners and marginal gains for seasoned professionals. Dedicated coaching sessions with experienced professionals (such as C. Potgieter) are available starting at R400 per hour, allowing shooters to progressively scale their skills from predictable trap flights to complex sporting trajectories.

The venue also operates as a premium country club, heavily promoting its "turnkey" corporate and recreational packages with the motto that clay shooting is "better than a golf day". This makes it an ideal destination for team building, bachelor parties, and family gatherings. The exceptional hospitality and service amenities include:

A modern, fully air-conditioned clubhouse ideal for banquets, networking, and relaxation.
A fully licensed bar for post-shoot socializing.
Two covered, traditional braai (BBQ) areas and an authentic wood-fired pizza oven.
Commercial kitchen facilities managed alongside catering partners to handle events of various sizes.

Ultimately, Valley Gun Club provides an unparalleled "all-in-one" experience. Beginners enjoy a welcoming and safe environment, athletes benefit from top-tier automated traps and varied disciplines, and corporate groups receive exclusive networking opportunities. The seamless combination of exceptional hospitality, rigorous safety standards, and elite sporting facilities firmly cements its status as the ultimate destination for clay target shooting in South Africa.

Operating Hours:

Tue – Sat: 08:00 – 17:00
Sun – Mon: CLOSED
(Note: The club is open on most public holidays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day.)

R312 Suid-Agter-Paarl Rd, Paarl Farms, Paarl, 7650, Afrique du Sud

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Website

Africa championship Finale Africa Cup - Compak Sporting - South Africa (March 2013)

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Sporting & Compak Sporting Continental Showcase